Hotel visitors targeted by thieves stealing tires

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Thieves are targeting visitors to Houston, stealing the tires off their vehicles. And it's happening at a hotel near Bush Intercontinental Airport.

"We walked outside and our car was sitting on four cinder blocks. Of course all four tires and rims were gone."

It was the last thing this woman, who asked that we not identify her, expected Wednesday morning when she went to check out of the Best Western Plus on JFK Boulevard near Bush Airport.

"Immediately we go to the front desk and ask if anyone has reported anything, seen anything, and she says no."

So nobody saw the thieves, and no cameras caught them. That's because the hotel has surveillance cameras on the front, and both sides, but not the only one in the back looks onto the door, not the area of the parking lot she says the clerk told her to park in when checked in Monday.

"You advised me to park in the back of your facility, so why couldn't you advise me that you don't have cameras on the back of your facility?"

She says the tow truck driver mentioned that he'd picked up other vehicles from this same part of the hotel's parking lot in the last month that were also left on cinder blocks. HPD confirms one other report from March 17.

Just like any hotel, there are signs around the parking lot that the hotel is not responsible for loss of vehicle or property.

"Of course we locked the vehicle, we took everything out that was valuable. But do you think to take off your tires when you park anywhere at any time, any place? That doesn't make any sense to me."

Best Western sent us a statement saying: "We are cooperating with local law enforcement regarding the matter. In addition, we are installing a security camera at the back of the property."

Too little too late for this victim.

That victim says it's no coincidence that the thefts happened in the one part of the property that isn't monitored. She wonders if this is an inside job. We asked Best Western if they were looking into that possibility, and the spokesman did not respond.